Slight Sake Intoxication.

There's something to be said for a school that serves its students alcohol. Most universities are "dry campuses" or have an alcohol policy (however strictly enforced) but clearly drinking during class is never permitted. However, culinary schools don't follow these same EtOH guidelines. Obviously alcohol education is a really big component of a good culinary education, but I'm not sure getting buzzed off sake at 4 pm is part of the normal curriculum. haha

So here's what happened. I went to a chef demo on Sake food pairings. It's a common misconception that Sake is only appropriate with sushi, but that's completely wrong. In fact, Sake isn't the best thing to eat with sushi. Rather Sake can be paired with more 'traditional' foods.

I love sake and this demo only made me appreciate it more. The brewing process is really unique because rice lacks natural sugars unlike wine grapes do, so a mold, Koji-kin, is used to convert starch into sugar. That sugar can then be turned into alcohol. The type of rice and type of mold are what traditionally control the various flavors of sake.


We tasted 5 different types of sake with a mini meal; raw tuna tar tar, raw oysters on the half shell, green beans and chocolate curry cake with creme chantilly. My favorite sake that we tried was a sweeter, more coconut flavored sake called Nigori Genshu. It was a hazy white color because it has small partials of the rice still in it. I tasted some premium sake including Daiginjo (pictured right).

The sake was from one of the only American Brewers, Sake One in Oregon. They make an organic sake, which I also tasted. Pretty good stuff.

The process of brewing sake is rooted deeply in tradition, the basic premise is that the best sake in the world is that which taste like water. Personally I'd never drop a ton of cash on a bottle of sake that has no flavor! But that's how it's been done for hundreds of years in Japan.

I don't wanna bore you with more details, but I will say everyone needs to go home and make this summer drink:

White Saki Sangria

Ingredients

- Honey Dew Melon (1/2" cubed)

- Strawberries (sliced)

- Blue Berries (whole)

- Raspberries (whole)

- Fresh Pinnacle ( 1" wedges)

- Kiwi Wedges

- 1 part white rum

- 3 parts sake

Mix fruit and rum in a jar. Cover. Let sit for 1-3 hours in a fridge so fruit can absorb the rum flavor. Add sake, LOTS of ice and maybe a mint to garnish. ENJOY!